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Clubhouse recognition helps build chemistry

4/5/14: Nolan Arenado's long fly ball to straight-away center ends up over the fence after going in and out of A.J. Pollock's glove

By Thomas Harding
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MLB.com |

DENVER -- On the upper wall of the northeast corner of the Rockies' clubhouse begins an interesting design that encircles the entire clubhouse.

Before the season began, numbers 1-100 were painted in purple on white panels. On Tuesday, the first four panels were covered in purple and in white were the numbers 0, 19, 28 and 24 -- the jersey numbers, respectively, of relief pitcher Adam Ottavino, outfielder Charlie Blackmon, third baseman Nolan Arenado and pitcher Jordan Lyles.

The explanation:

After each victory, players get together.

"It's kind of like a player of the game," shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. "I think the team decides it, and me and [Michael Cuddyer] get together and talk about it. We kind of handle it that way."

It serves to build motivation and high expectations. Room for 100 wins.

"This year, when I first got to Denver, that's when I found out we were doing it, and it's pretty cool," said Arenado, who earned his spot with a two-homer game against the D-backs in a 9-4 victory on Saturday. "I guess it's nice to see us doing something together. We mess around a little bit after the game."

Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @harding_at_mlb. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.